The Top 10 American Idol contestants are performing soul and R&B songs tonight. And the mentor is Usher. It’s been a lackluster season so far. Will things get back on track tonight? The performances will be posted on the American Idol Web site once the show airs on the West Coast.

Siobhan Magnus — “Through the Fire” by Chaka Khan — Awful. The pitch or something was off. It made my ears hurt. Randy said it was all over the place, but he said he still loves the courageous and conviction. Ellen agreed that it was off key. Kara said she seemed nervous and it was an off night. Simon said it sounded as if she’d run a marathon and she was singing at the same time. He said it was by far her weakest performance so far.

Casey James — “Hold On I’m Coming” by Sam and Dave — His voice is making more and more of an impression each week. I loved it! Randy said it was another hot night for Casey. Ellen praised him for being consistent, but she thought it was a little generic. Kara said she thinks he has more range in his voice. Simon said it was his strongest performance so far and he’s really impressed.

Michael Lynche — “Ready For Love” by India Arie — Very sweet and tender, but also a little boring. Randy liked the sensitive vibe. Ellen said it was beautiful. Kara said he did an incredible job. Simon said this is the first time he can take Michael seriously as an artist because his performance was original. He called it terrific.

Didi Benami — “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” by Jimmy Ruffin — I like Didi, but this wasn’t a good song for her. The arrangement was weird. Randy said the performance flatlined. Ellen said it was too dramatic. Kara said it was overdone. Simon said it was so over the top and off melody. He said she’s lost her way.

Tim Urban — “Sweet Love” by Anita Baker — Another miss. How long can he stay in the competition when his performances really aren’t on par? I like his personality and he’s adorable, but … well, I really don’t want to listen to him one more week. Randy said there were some pluses and minuses — started like a singing waiter but at least it was mostly in tune. Ellen said he is adorable, but she wanted to know why he chose that song. Kara said it was like Broadway and Vegas and he took the soul out of the song. Simon said it doesn’t make a difference what the judges say … completely inappropriate song, but it doesn’t matter because Tim’s going to smile and the girls are going to vote for him.

Andrew Garcia — “Forever” by Chris Brown — Nice. This is the Andrew I liked in the beginning. It wasn’t perfect, but it was original and had style. Randy agreed that Andrew is back and that he turned the song into his own. Ellen said it was an amazing, strong performance. Kara said it was one giant leap in the right direction. Simon said it was miles better than what we’ve heard the past few weeks, but as a person Andrew comes across as boring.

Katie Stevens — “Chain of Fools” by Aretha Franklin — She could be good if she didn’t try so hard to be a diva. She can definitely sing. I just wish her performances had less flash and more sincerity.

Randy said the performance was disconnected vocally, but it was one of the best vocal performances of the night. Ellen thought the vocals were great, but she wished the song had been more current. Kara said it was one of her best vocal performances. Simon said it was pretty good, but it was very robotic.

Lee Dewyze — “Treat Her Like A Lady” by the Cornelius Brothers — Fabulous vocals. He could make a record tomorrow. I like him because he never seems like he’s trying too hard. He just sings and sounds great. Randy said it was unbelievable. Ellen said it was the best performance of the night. Kara called it amazing. Simon said this was the night Lee’s life might have changed forever.

Crystal Bowersox — “Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight — She made a promise last week to change it up. Apparently that includes stilettos … and playing the piano. Once again, she outperformed most of her peers. Randy said Gladys Knight would say Crystal did the song proud. Ellen said she’s already great. Kara praised Crystal for taking a risk. Simon said the choice of song was sensational, but he warned that she shouldn’t let the process suck the identity out of her.

Aaron Kelly — “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers –Gutsy song choice. Respectable, but it’s been done better. Randy said it started rough, but it was alright. Ellen thought he did a really good job. Kara liked it but she wasn’t in love with it. Simon said he’s not jumping out of his chair, but it was OK.

The best performances of the night: Casey, Crystal and Lee. The bottom three: Siobhan, Didi and Tim.

Do you agree?

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About This Blog

Community Engagement Editor Jeff Hidek takes his TV way too seriously. There’s something about the common thread of television that brings us together like little else. Jeff’s a member of the Television Critics Association, but he’s no TV snob. He enjoys watching “NCIS” even more than “Mad Men” sometimes. He’s got way too many shows on his DVR list each week, including “Big Bang Theory,” “Parks & Recreation,” “Castle,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Middle,” “Burn Notice,” “The Closer,” “House,” “Chuck,” “The Big C” and “Warehouse 13.” To contact Jeff, e-mail him at jeff.hidek@starnewsonline.com or follow him on Twitter at @JeffHidek.